10 MP3 PLAYERS FOR RUNNERS
We've seen plenty of people hanging out in gyms with iPods tucked into their tracksuits, and while some people will continue to risk it no matter what we say, it's not a good idea to bring your beloved music machine onto the treadmill. The iPod and other high-capacity MP3 players, such as the Dell Digital Jukebox DJ, store music on an internal hard drive that has fragile moving parts. If you jostle your iPod at the wrong time during your run or, God forbid, drop it on the pavement, you might as well kiss that $250 (or more) good-bye. Read more

If you want to listen to music while you work out, a flash-based MP3 player is the way to go. They're much lighter and more compact than their hard drive-based counterparts, and their batteries generally last longer, too. Plus, if you drop or otherwise bang them up, they stand a better chance of surviving. (Flash memory has no moving parts.) Even better, some of them come with unique features that cater specifically to the sporty set. Philips and Nike have been collaborating on rugged and fitness-friendly MP3 player designs for a couple of years now, offering features such as built-in stopwatches, splashproof cases, and sturdy accessory armbands. In late July, the two companies plan to release the MP3Run, a 256MB flash-based player with a separate Bluetooth module that you wear on your shoe for measuring how far and fast you've run. Samsung recently unveiled a sporty player as well: the YEPP Sport YP-60V. In addition to offering 256MB of flash memory for playing your favorite workout tracks, the YP-60V measures your heart rate, your calorie burn, and your run time.

Just looking for a lightweight player that won't get in the way of your workout? We've rounded up several fitness-friendly models, including players from Cowon, Creative, iRiver, Jens of Sweden, and Rio. Check out the chart for information on each player's size, capacity, and fitness-oriented features. Then read the full reviews to find out how each player fared in our hands-on tests.